ORDER OF ST. LUKE - HEALING PRAYER

As we think about our ministry in the Order of St. Luke it is good to
distinguish three quite different forms of prayer for healing. First there is
personal prayer for our own healing. Then there is prayer for the sick in a
healing service. And thirdly there is intercessory prayer for others.

Personal prayer for our own healing The secret of this kind of prayer is
boldness. "Let us approach the throne of grace with boldness so that we may
receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:6). We
are too hesitant, too cautious, we wonder if we have a right to ask. It is not
part of our denominational tradition to ask favors from God. Are we worthy
enough? Other people have far greater needs than our petty problem. Satan is
accusing us of this and that. Why should the King of kings and Lord of hosts
bother with me?

The picture here is of a totally powerful King. He is sitting on a throne,
and he loves to exercise grace. We push boldly past the guards at the door. If
they try to stop us, we walk past them. "Don’t you realize I am one of the
King’s children." Then we go straight up to the throne, take the King’s hand and
say "I know that I am not perfect. I have many faults that need correcting, But
right now I have this pain that is bothering me." Or we might say "The Doctor
says I have prostate cancer." I remember when I did that four years ago, and
since then I have an implant every three months that keeps my PSA level right on
normal.

Prayer in a healing service One after another people come up, we take
their hand, and they expect us to pray for them. At that point there is no
desperate pleading, psychologizing, or trying to offer solutions for problems,
or suggesting treatment that helped us. We just bring the person to Jesus and
let him get on with it in his own way You remember how "Simon Peter’s
mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He
came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and
she began to serve them" (Mark 1:30-31). All we have to do is put the
person into the hands of Jesus. "Lord, Mary is concerned about losing her sight.
That is your problem, and as I lay my hands on her I leave her in your loving
hands."

But this is not a quick formality before we move on to the next person. It is
helpful to keep our eyes open and see how the person is receiving our prayer. We
could have a moment of silence, and ask "Have you anything else that is on your
heart right now?" Often people come forward asking for prayer for something
obvious, but they have a much deeper concern that needs Jesus’ more immediate
attention.

Intercessory prayer for others Here we are on our own in a quiet place.
The Holy Spirit gives us a sick person to pray for. Our first reaction is to
say. "Lord this is too difficult. What can I pray?" Then we remember the words
of Paul. "The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as
we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God
who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit
intercedes for the saints according to the will of God" (Romans 8:26-27).
This is called prayer in the Spirit. We have no idea what to ask. We just let
the Holy Spirit do the praying, and he knows exactly what the Father has in mind
for this person.

Often as we do this the Holy Spirit will take us to circle around the person
in need. There are parents who are concerned but they don’t really know how to
pray. They need support in the situation. Brothers and sisters may be helping or
hindering the work of healing. There are other people praying. And there are
doctors and nurses who are too busy to figure out what is really wrong. Healing
prayer will touch and influence all of these. And that is when real healing
begins to take place.

In some cases, as when Paul prayed three times for a severe eye condition,
the answer may eventually be "My grace is sufficient for you." But we should not
begin by wondering whether the Lord will heal. We pray boldly asking for the
person to be healed. But prayer for healing is not answered as we expect, we
have a right to ask for an explanation. He might for example answer that "my
power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

But in all three kinds of prayer situation great boldness is needed. Little
children don’t qualify their asking by considering all the ifs and buts. "Let us
approach the throne of grace with boldness so that we may receive mercy and find
grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:6).